


Pretty When She Cries

by perfectlysomber



Category: Killing Eve, Killing Eve (TV 2018)
Genre: Best Friends, Coming of Age, EVE - Freeform, F/F, First Love, Fluff, Killing Eve - Freeform, Romance, Slow Burn, Teenage Drama, Teenage Rebellion, Villanelle, Villaneve, cute shit
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-28
Updated: 2020-04-28
Packaged: 2021-03-02 03:48:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,246
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23888473
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/perfectlysomber/pseuds/perfectlysomber
Summary: Cheer athletes Eve Polastri and Villanelle Astankova have been the best of friends since grade school, the two of them relying on each other to get through life's biggest and smallest obstacles. With the melodramas of high school, first love, and competitive cheer being ever so present in their lives, it's nearly impossible for either of them to grasp what normalcy feels like.
Relationships: Eve Polastri/Villanelle | Oksana Astankova
Comments: 5
Kudos: 37





	Pretty When She Cries

**Author's Note:**

> Teenage Villaneve AU... get over it. This is just an intro chapter so you can expect a lot more depth in the later chapters... I'm just having fun with it okay :(

Eve was listening to music on her record player, finding this overwhelming silence as an opportunity to finally unwind and get some well-needed rest. She laid down on her bed, facing up at her ceiling, trying so incredibly hard to focus on anything other than school and cheer… She was so over it all, honestly. But what else was she going to do besides complain at 17? She shut her eyes, trying to picture her life with as much color and vibrancy as she possibly could. But her efforts seemed so fucking impossible… Especially when she was rudely interrupted. 

Villanelle knocked on Eve’s door before letting herself in, her eyes sore and filled with tears, her nose red. Eve shot straight up, watching as Villanelle shut the door behind her, moving straight towards the empty spot on her bed across from Eve. Her heart dropped, seeing her best friend like that. 

And as if right on cue, 'Ode To The Mets’ by The Strokes started playing on vinyl, illuminating the room with its mellow and somewhat somber aura. 

“What happened?” Eve asked, worried, opening her arms out for Villanelle to fall into.

“I’m just… so tired,” Villanelle breathed out, leaning forward and falling into the ideal cuddle position her and Eve grew to become so familiar with. 

“What could possibly have you crying at 8PM on a Sunday night?” Eve asked, caressing the blonde girl’s hair.

“I’m staying with my Uncle Konstantin, now,” Villanelle told her, her face digging deeper into Eve’s neck. “Don’t feel like talking about it, really.”

Eve knew that if Villanelle moved out of her parent’s house, the situation must’ve been pretty serious. So per the blonde girl’s feeble request, she chose not to dwell on it for now. 

“So you just came to cuddle?” Eve asked, totally okay with just being a shoulder to cry on.

“Mhm…” Villanelle hummed, eyes closed, the comfort of being in Eve’s arms was exactly what she needed to close out this otherwise horrible day. “I don’t think anything else could make me feel better right now."

“Not even one of those Julie Delpy films you love so much?” Eve asked, almost immediately feeling Villanelle shift in her arms. 

Villanelle slowly stuck her head up, her face a mere inches away from Eve’s. “Which one?” she asked, child-like. 

“Before Sunrise?” Eve asked.

Villanelle pouted, “You know me so well…” she sat up, her mood doing a full 180 at the mention of her favorite movie series of all time.

She stood up and walked over to Eve’s closet, picking out the first crop top t-shirt and gym shorts she found for her to sleep in. She ran her fingers through her hair, staring at herself in the mirror. She wiped her barely dry face, almost laughing at herself for crying. It was borderline psychopathic, how she was able to just… switch her tears off like that. Eve didn’t dwell on it, though. She never dwelled on it, except for when she did.

For the most part, she knew Villanelle was putting on this strong-girl front. She hated being vulnerable, she hated admitting defeat. And what V didn’t know is that Eve could see right through her. Eve knew it was just one big facade, and that deep down, Villanelle was the biggest baby ever. Especially when she showed up in the middle of a Saturday night, tears in her eyes, tired beyond measure.

“Do you think I’m pretty when I cry?” V asked, turning around to face Eve as she changed out of her jeans. 

Eve tensed up, the sight of a half-naked Villanelle really shouldn’t surprise her anymore. It’s a sight she’s seen far too many times to keep track of. Eve tried to keep her cool.

“You’re always pretty, Villanelle.”

“Hmm,” she smiled softly at that, pleased with herself. “This song is very good, by the way.”

“The Strokes,” Eve informed her just in case she didn’t know. But she knew. Villanelle always knew.

“I will forever associate this song with you and how happy you make me,” the blonde girl told her, and that just about punctured something in Eve. 

Eve was officially under her spell. She was mesmerized by her best friend, and she knew there was absolutely no going back… When Villanelle looked at her like that, and when she put her on such a pedestal, Eve knew there was no way she could resist those hazel eyes.

“You’re sleeping over?” Eve asked, scooting over so Villanelle had her own side of the bed.

“Yes, your bed is extremely comfortable,” Villanelle nodded, sliding under the sheets. “Besides, Konstantin is probably waiting up for me, drunk out of his mind. I do not feel like dealing with that right now.”

Eve sighed, upset that that was the blonde girl’s reality. She’s glad she felt comfortable enough to just walk in her room whenever she wanted— making herself completely comfortable in Eve’s home. Villanelle always had a place at Eve’s whenever she wanted. Eve wanted to make sure she knew that… and for the most part, she did. That’s why she was here, now, in the comfort of good, safe company. 

And Eve was glad she could make Villanelle feel safe.

— **The Next Morning** — 

The sun shone perfectly through Eve’s windows, hitting Villanelle’s face just as she rolled onto her stomach, her arm resting across Eve’s chest. The blonde girl was the first to wake up, her eyes blinking open long before her body awoke. She watched as Eve slept, so calm and so still. She wondered what she was dreaming about. 

Villanelle reached for her phone, the time indicating it was half past nine o’clock. Her eyes grew wide as she sat up and shook Eve awake.

“EVE WAKE UP!” she screamed.

“What the fuck, V?!” Eve gasped.

“We’re late for school,” Villanelle told her, sliding off the bed and immediately going straight to the mirror to check herself out.

“Okay?” Eve sighed, sitting up and rubbing her eyes. “It’s not the end of the world if we’re late for one class.”

“I know,” Villanelle shrugged, turning around and trying not to laugh. “But you should have seen your face when I shook you. Priceless.”

Eve glared at her, “I hate you.”

“I’m going to use your toothbrush,” she said, nonchalantly, making her way towards Eve’s en suite as if she owned the damn place. 

Eve followed her to the bathroom, violently pushing Villanelle out of the way so she can start her morning skin routine. Villanelle laughed through Eve’s toothbrush, always enjoying how rough she can be at times. A few moments passed before she spit out the toothpaste foam, handing Eve her toothbrush before reaching into her makeup bag and pulling out her own skincare products, one by one.

Eve rolled her eyes, grabbing her toothbrush since it was her turn to brush her teeth.

"So you can pack your entire $200 morning routine but you can’t pack your own toothbrush?” Eve asked through a foaming mouth.

Villanelle smirked, using her hip to push Eve aside so she was now in full control of the sink. Eve groaned, spitting the toothpaste foam into the toilet as she was not trying to move Villanelle during her coveted skincare routine. As much as this was all fun and games, she knew better than to mess with her while she washed her face. Skincare was everything to her. And boy… did she have such incredible skin.

“I’m going to change and then go downstairs to toast a bagel. Do you want one?” Eve asked, though she already knew the answer to that one. 

“Lightly toasted with—“

“Hazelnut cream cheese,” Eve finished her sentence. “Yeah, yeah. I know.” 

* * *

Villanelle sat in class, bored out of her mind. She hated Professor Martensfor assigning her a seat in the front of the class, whilst Eve was sat all the way in the back corner. It was practically a crime, seating them so astronomically far apart. But Professor Martens knew trouble if she ever saw it— and pairing the two of them together was certainly cause for trouble.

Professor Martens turned to the class for an open discussion, posing the question: “Is happiness the highest good?”

Villanelle turned around and made eye contact with Eve, the word “highest” triggering laughter out of the two of them seeing as though Eve was absolutely baked. 

“Perhaps you’d like to start the discussion then, Polastri?” Professor Martens called out, causing a shift in Eve’s expression. She went from laughing to wanting to flip Villanelle off in a matter of seconds.

“Is happiness the highest good,” Eve repeated the question to herself, giving it only minor thought before blurting out the first answer that came to mind. “All good is good, right? I mean… Who’s to say there is a highest and a lowest form of good? I guess, if you wanted to put it in some sort of box, it’s easy to say that yes… happiness is a goal that everyone seeks to reach, right? So umm.. I guess in that sense, happiness is a pretty high good. The highest.”

Professor Martens sighed, Eve’s answer somehow making some sort of jumbled-up sense. 

“Hmm, I’ll agree to disagree,” Villanelle spoke up, all eyes on her, Eve’s included. “Happiness is not the highest good. I think the trouble people face when seeking happiness is that they put it on too high of a pedestal… As if happiness is some empty fantasy that we’ll only reach at the end of a seemingly never-ending journey. I think happiness is a dangerous concept, really. Because the more we fantasize about it, the less it means when we finally have it… And I think that’s why it’s so temporary, you know? Because it never means as much as it does when we finally think we’ve finally grasped it.”

“But don’t you think it’s better to have that optimistic end goal as opposed to looking at life through a rather cynical lens?” Eve challenged her.

“It’s not so cynical as much as it is realistic,” Villanelle shot her a long glance. 

“What about the rest of you?” Professor Martens opened the discussion up to the entire rest of the class, who seemingly had lots of opinions on the matter at hand. Villanelle and Eve were too busy watching each other though, as if they were the only two in the room. It certainly felt that way, at least.

“You’re a twat,” Eve mouthed to her. 

“You love me,” Villanelle mouthed back, sending a kiss as well.

* * *

Before they knew it, the school day was done and it was finally that time of day that they actually looked forward to. Eve found Villanelle changing in the girl's locker room, punching her bicep the second the hazel-eyed girl so much as grinned at her.

“Ouch?” Villanelle rubbed her arm. “The fuck was that for?”

“Did you mean what you said in there?” Eve asked, her arms crossed. “Back in Ethics class."

“You mean like… 2 hours ago?” Villanelle wanted to roll her eyes, but she didn’t. She could tell Eve was wound up about something.

“Yeah? About how you think happiness shouldn’t be the end goal? How it’s nothing but some empty fantasy that we’ll only reach at the end of a seemingly never-ending journey?” Eve asked her, quoting her word for word.

Villanelle stared at her, her eyes only slightly wider than normal, almost at a loss for words. She thought for a brief moment, looking around to see if anyone were around to witness this glorious encounter.

“I mean… I don’t know?” Villanelle told her, truthfully. “I guess I meant it a little bit, at least. Though I’m not sure if it fully reflects my actual perspective on things.”

“How do you not know?” Eve asked her, significantly less wound up now than she was just moments ago.

“It’s such a heavy question, Eve. Part of me believes that happiness is almost entirely impossible to achieve, but the other part of me is best friends with you, which I think might be the closest thing to experiencing happiness anyone can get in this life,” Villanelle told her so nonchalantly, changing into her Nike spandex and taking a seat to put on a fresh pair of white Nike high socks. 

And when Villanelle said things like that, Eve knew it was impossible to stay upset with her. She sighed, finally taking her at her word.

“Why does it bother you so much?” Villanelle asked her, braiding her blonde hair back so it was completely out of her face. 

“It just irked me thinking that you don’t believe you can achieve happiness,” Eve admitted, turning to her locker so she can finally change into her cheer attire. “But I guess your logic makes sense, the more I think about it.”

“I’m almost always right,” Villanelle stood up, staring her up and down before biting her lip and walking away. She asserted her dominance every single chance she could… with her confidence and arrogance. And with Villanelle being cheer captain, she knew she was always going to have that edge over her. But Eve wasn’t one to complain. 

* * *

“Do not _fucking_ touch me you half-brained rat,” Villanelle turned around to yell at an overly-obnoxious Hugo, who had been poking at her for the past five minutes trying to get the captain’s her attention. 

With Villanelle distracted by Coach Dasha who was giving her notes on what is to be expected at today’s practice, Eve laughed at Hugo, who had just been torn to pieces by Villanelle.

“Why is she literally such a monster to anyone who isn’t you?” Hugo asked, though he loved the nature of his and V’s relationship. He adored getting under her skin— and it wasn’t that hard a task, at that. 

“I’m the one who had to deal with pre-pubescent Astankova, okay? It was not an easy journey getting to where we are now,” Eve joked, stretching out whilst she talked to her teammate. 

“Must’ve been terrifying,” Hugo quipped.

“You’re such a softie,” Eve rolled her eyes, giving it to him. “There is no one she picks on more than me, okay? I can guarantee you she will call me out twice as much as anyone else today.”

“That’s just cause you need it, love!” Hugo joked, winking at her.

“Eve! Stop daydreaming and start stretching,” Villanelle called out, turning around and addressing the rest of the squad. “Today we’re running the pyramid. We’re not going full out, but if I see anyone being lazy it’s 50 push ups. Okay?”

“Yes,” they collectively mumbled.

“Okay,” Villanelle nodded, approaching her best friend on the floor so she can join her with stretches. “Eve, point your toes when you stretch your ankles. Practice these good habits.”

Eve shot a glance at Hugo, as if to say ‘I told you so’. Though no one doubted her in the first place.

* * *

“1, 2, 3, 4… 5, 6, 7, 8,” Dasha counted out, watching the pyramid unfold. They were still in the early stages of the routine, two weeks into it the season so far. It pained her to watch all the mistakes, but she knew she had to be patient in order to be the best. So she tried not to yell so much.

Eve was the #1 top girl, meaning she was practically the focal point of the entire pyramid. She was being swung around, tossed and turned in every which direction. Eve was sure she blacks out 50% of the time she’s up in the air because half the time she truly couldn't remember going through an entire routine after the fact. Any sane person would honestly be scared shitless of hitting the ground, but being in her position, there was absolutely no room for her to dwell on that fear. And with Villanelle on the floor, she felt at ease knowing at least _someone_ on the mat had her back at all costs. 

“Kenny, when you toss her up like that you still want to make sure you catch her in a flat-back position,” Dasha pointed out. ‘For God’s sake, you’re adding two extra counts every single time you cradle her."

“I swear to God, if you drop her I will murder you in your sleep,” Villanelle approached the sweet boy just to threaten him. 

“Villanelle, _maybe ease up with the death threats_ , hmm?” Dasha wanted to roll her eyes, but watching Villanelle roll her’s was reward enough. “Anyway. What time is it?”

“It’s half past five o’clock, Dasha,” Monica, her assistant coach, reminded her. 

“Okay… Good enough. We got a lot done today. You guys look tired,” Dasha announced, clapping as she dismissed them. 

Villanelle immediately looked for Eve on the mat.

“Hey, before you twist out of the arabesque, make sure your hips are locked. You’ll be much more stabilized for the two counts that you’re holding it. And maybe then the _doofball_ wouldn’t struggle as much trying to toss you up into the catch,” Villanelle hovered over the girl to give her some very helpful advice. They had been running pyramid for a solid 50 runs now, the two of them absolutely tired beyond belief. Eve was especially winded from being tossed up in the air more times than she can count. 

“Kenny can’t hold me up for shit,” Eve breathed out, taking a seat on the mat, frustrated that they had been running the same stunt for as long as they did. 

“I know,” Villanelle rubbed her back, absolutely empathizing with all the shit Eve has to go through being the main flyer. “I’ll talk to him.”

“Don’t bother,” Eve sighed, scratching the back of her neck. “The kid is gonna kill me, eventually. It’s just a matter of _when_ at this point.”

Villanelle rolled her eyes, “So dramatic…”

“You catch me every time he fucks it up,” Eve stuck her fist out, giving her credit where it was due. “Thanks for that.”

“I’m the best God damn base on the floor,” Villanelle winked. chugging down a gatorade when she finally managed to catch her breath. “I will never let you hit the ground. Especially on those partner stunts where I’m doing a majority of the work.”

Eve smiled, knowing fully well Villanelle enjoyed any and every single compliment she received. 

“Help me up,” Eve said, reaching up for the blonde to pull her up, to which she did with no questions asked. Eve groaned, holding her ribs in agony. 

“You okay?” Villanelle asked, watching her carefully.

"It’s those damn basket tosses… My ribs are killing me,” Eve sighed, though this was a normal occurrence for her. She was honestly used to the pain. “I’ll be fine, though. Nothing new.”

“I was going to go have an ice bath in the training room,” Villanelle told her, urging her to come with. “Want to come with?”

“You know I hate getting iced…” Eve pouted, following the taller blonde girl. 

“Don’t be such a baby,” V patted the top of her head, gently. “It’ll help with the soreness and inflammation.”

“I know but it burns….” Eve sighed, Villanelle wrapping her arm around her shoulder as the two of them walked out of the gymnasium, following each other’s stride.

“You trust me, don’t you?” Villanelle asked.

And without a shadow of a doubt, Eve knew she could probably trust Villanelle more than she could trust herself. 


End file.
